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Killer
instinct returns for Tiger at Masters
As the weekend passed, I was very gratified
to see Tiger Woods roar again by, capturing
his fourth Masters Championship and end
a drought of almost three years of not winning
a major.
Woods
entered this weekend playing at the greatest
golf course in the world, the most prestigious
tournament in all of golf, and even provided
the fans with a flair of drama. Woods, the
only golfer to hold all four majors synchronously
edged out Chris DiMarco on the first playoff
hole by sinking a 15-foot birdie putt.
Immediately
after Woods modeled his fourth green jacket
off for the crowd that studied his every
move, President George W. Bush called to
praise him on his monumental victory. It
was monumental because only Jack Nicklaus
has won more (with six victories). Woods
also regained his No. 1 ranking in the world
from rival, Vijay Singh.
Patrick
Hodgson
Woods
entered the final round up three strokes,
yet found a way to get himself into trouble
until he received a bit of luck by stroking
an unpromising birdie on the par 3-16th.
The crowd watched the 25-foot shot crawl
up the cup, hesitate for two seconds, and
finally drop in.
Woods
called the shot one of the best he has ever
made in his outstanding career. The millions
of Woods' fans watching on television knew
the most aptitudinal closer in golf would
not mess up like a first-timer at Augusta
National, and they were right.
Woods
dedicated the win to his ailing father at
home and broke out with a few tears when
talking about him. All in all, I felt this
was a great victory for Woods and that he
should enjoy it. He's back and it spells
danger for Vijay, Ernie Ells and Phil "Lefty"
Michelson.
While
the Woods story was one of the better one's
seen in sports this year, I was also joyous
to see former two-sport star Bo Jackson
receive justice after being accused of taking
steroids by the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
and getting his name cleared.
The
story was published March 24. Under sports
editor Jim Mohr's byline the story quoted
dietary adept Ellen Coleman as saying she
knew firsthand that Jackson had lost his
hip due to the use of steroids. A wrathful
Jackson responded after finally hearing
the story from a friend by suing the newspaper,
Mohr and three other employees for general
and punitive damages in Illinois.
Furthermore,
Bo Jackson called a press conference telling
his fans and peers he has nothing to hide
and any blood test he has ever taken would
prove he never took the juice. The newspaper
has retracted the story and apologized to
Jackson. Despite the apology the suit still
goes on.
At
the end of the day, I feel that the paper
and its employees responsible for the article
have to be held accountable for their roles
in the fabricated story. You cannot make
intense accusations if you do not have 110
percent proof. It should be interesting
to see who comes out victorious. As for
any predictions in the case, my guess is
that it will be the man who wore the silver
and black No. 34 succeeding.
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